


Giving Thanks

by Artemis_Egeria



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Post-Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), Pre-Relationship, Thanksgiving
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-29
Updated: 2019-11-29
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:40:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21599323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artemis_Egeria/pseuds/Artemis_Egeria
Summary: Vision and Wanda's first Thanksgiving with the Avengers.
Relationships: Wanda Maximoff/Vision
Comments: 6
Kudos: 24





	Giving Thanks

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Woohoo! I finished a holiday-themed story on time. I actually started this last year but wasn’t able to finish. In honor of Thanksgiving Day in the US, I am grateful for everyone who continues to read and/or leave comments or kudos on my work. I hope you enjoy.

“Alright, everyone. That’s it for today. Reminder that tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Everyone’s tasks are listed on a sign-up sheet in the kitchen. Sam and I are taking part in a Turkey Trot in town tomorrow morning if anyone wants to join us.”

Vision raised his hand as his teammates began to stretch and rise from the table. “Captain, I have a proposal.” His words were met with a few muffled groans, but Captain Rogers merely nodded encouragingly. “I was researching activities that are popular around the Thanksgiving holiday. One idea I found charming is for everyone to write something that they are thankful for on a slip of paper, anonymously. Then, we all take turns reading them out.”

“I think that sounds like a great idea, Vision.” There were several more mutters, but everyone recognized the mood that their leader was in, that nothing would change his mind. Rhodes expressed regret that he was missing dinner at the compound, but Vision could not help but think that he was not being sincere. He left almost immediately after the meeting broke up to attend Thanksgiving festivities with Tony and Pepper.

Sam took the lead with the cooking, as he was the one with the most experience in modern American Thanksgiving traditions. He delegated certain tasks to Steve, Natasha, and Vision, but kept the majority of the work to himself. Vision heard him muttering under his breath that this was one of his favorite days of the year and he wanted it to be perfect. Vision also noticed that Wanda became more withdrawn as the Thanksgiving preparations progressed. She completed what was asked of her, but shortly disappeared. Vision was still learning about boundaries and could not think of a way to broach the subject with her.

Still the next day and a half passed quickly. By dinner time the next day, they had enough food to hold the team for 2.5 weeks if Vision’s calculations were correct, which they doubtless were. He was concerned about the possible waste, but the team assured him that they would save the leftovers, not throw anything away.

When the turkey was carved and all the side dishes were plated, they all sat down at the table. Sam said, “Let’s get this party started!” He rubbed his hands together with glee. Everyone agreed that he should get first taste of the turkey because he did most of the work.

Sam, Steve, and Natasha ate with relish. Vision was tempted to try some of the dishes, but it still did not feel right, as he did not require the nutrients to function. Wanda also appeared to have little appetite. No one commented because that was not unusual. After completing two or three platefuls of food, they stretched and let conversation flow between them.

After some recovery time, Steve, sitting at the head of the table, announced that it was time to complete Vision’s suggested activity. He read the first slip. “I am grateful for second chances and a new family.” He then passed the box to Natasha.

Natasha read, “I am thankful for having the power to protect.”

Sam took the box next. He read, “I am grateful for a new purpose.”

When the box reached Wanda, she picked up a slip. Vision felt his muscles tense. No one had read his slip yet, and there would now be only two left. He watched Wanda carefully as her mouth formed the syllables of his response. “I am grateful for the friendship of the team.” He had had to temper what he was grateful for for anonymity’s sake. He knew that his teammates were likely to be more laconic than was his tendency. It was difficult to be truly anonymous among a team who were becoming so close, especially when there were only five of them, but he hoped to leave some degree of doubt.

Wanda passed the box to him, but it was empty. Everyone was looking at him expectantly, and he didn’t quite know what to say. “Ah, well, that is all. Perhaps one slip was misplaced.” He held out the empty box in demonstration. Vision did not think that anyone believed that, but they all tacitly accepted it as they began the clean-up process.

Everyone attempted to look around the table surreptitiously, trying to gauge who was squirming the most. But more congenial conversation started when Sam complimented the turkey to much general agreement around the table. After the whole meal and dessert was consumed, Rhodes and Natasha began to clear the table. Vision noted Wanda slipping away among the bustle of the clean-up.

After the kitchen was immaculate again, the team sat down to a football game. Sam and Rhodes seemed to enjoy it the most, hurling teasing abuse at each other because they were cheering for opposing teams. Steve shook his at all the changes in the game since his time. Vision winced every time a player was tackled with what seemed to him more than necessary force. He could not quite understand why so many people obtained such pleasure from watching the infliction of so much pain.

Eventually the game wound down, and everyone went their separate ways. It was nearly midnight when Vision was passing by a window on the lower level and saw Wanda sitting outside on the frost-covered grass. She was dressed in the same outfit she had worn the day he was created, her clothing grossly inadequate for the freezing temperature outside.

He quickly grabbed a thick blanket from a hall closet upstairs and went to meet her outside. She continued staring straight ahead when he came up beside her. “Wanda, it is very cold out here.” She did not startle when he spoke, but merely shrugged.

“You know, when we lived in Sokovia, before HYDRA, I only had a couple changes of clothes, none much warmer than this.” Vision was uncertain of the purpose of her non sequitur. He crouched down and handed the blanket to her. Wanda took it, but she made no move to wrap it around herself. “Pietro and I would huddle up for warmth, and comfort. Even after the experiments, we would sometimes sneak out of our cells and go outside late at night to remember where we came from, what we were fighting to escape.”

“I am sorry that he is no longer here to share the night with you.”

She raised her hand, sparking with her powers, and looked into his eyes. The faintest sliver of a smile curled her lips upwards. “Thanks.” They remained in silence for a few moments. Though his synthetic form allowed him to crouch indefinitely, he settled fully on the ground next to her. “I’m sorry your game got messed up.”

“Oh, it is of no importance.”

Wanda’s stare grew more searching. “It was me who didn’t write anything down in case you were wondering.”

“I calculated that there was a 66.23% probability that it was you.”

“I didn’t mean to spoil it. It just felt wrong to say that I’m grateful for anything this year.”

“Because your brother is not here to share those things with you?” She nodded. “I am sorry. I did not consider that when I proposed the idea.”

“You don’t have anything to apologize for.” She began shivering, her teeth knocking together. Finally conceding to the weather, she unfolded the blanket and wrapped it around herself. “I know Pietro would want me to feel happy and grateful, but I can’t help feeling disloyal. He would want me to move on.”

“I am certain that he also would not want you to feel guilty about still experiencing grief. It is perfectly natural, and it has been less than a year.” Wanda nodded again. She wrapped the blanket more firmly around herself, and Vision increased his body temperature in the hopes that she would absorb some of the ambient heat, as she showed no sign of returning indoors.

“Maybe.” Wanda fell silent as she thought. “And it’s not only Pietro. I left my home and I’m here, the place I hated so much for most of my life. So many people lost everything. Somehow I get to have all this.” She gestured around the spacious, well-manicured grounds and high-tech luxury of the compound. “I helped bring the destruction, but I escaped unharmed.”

Vision pondered this for a moment. “You did lose the person closest to you.”

“If that’s supposed to be my punishment, it’s still not fair. Pietro didn’t deserve to die for my crimes.”

Vision was at a loss. He had read many treatises on grief and cosmology and philosophy, but all those thousands of pages seemed utterly inadequate at this moment. “I am sorry. I do not believe I have anything to comfort you with. There is a great deal of disagreement as to whether there is any ultimate meaning in this universe or any sort of cosmic justice. I do not know enough to know whom to believe.”

“It’s okay. I wasn’t looking for an answer. I guess I just needed to say that aloud.”

“I am always here to listen. And I know that you are doing everything within your power to make amends for the past.” Wanda merely nodded and leaned her head on his shoulder, apparently out of words. A contemplative silence wrapped itself around them until some time later when Wanda finally rose and declared her intention to go to bed. 

The next morning Vision found a piece of paper slipped under his door. _I am grateful for a warm blanket on a cold night._


End file.
